Paying These College Fees May Take You By Surprise

Aside from the high costs of tuition, housing and food, college students are also faced with a load of other fees that will surprise them if they're not informed about it. While some of these fees are relatively small enough, some are big enough to be noticed. Fees and their purposes vary per college, but all of them serve to help improve the college experience of the student while helping the school maintain its facilities, among other things. Better expand your point of view to include what other schools call "miscellaneous fees."

Here's a list of college fees you may have to pay, according to U.S. News.

Orientation and Freshman Fees:

Orientation and Freshman fees are typically charged for first-year college students as they enter the campus.

Orientation fees

These are usually charged during registration for first-time, incoming students. Fees vary from institution, and may range from $50-$300.

Freshman Fees,

On the other hand,these fees require freshmen to pay a small amount per semester of their first year. The University of Arizona, for example, charges freshmen $10 per sem.

Campus Maintenance Fees:

Campus Fees

There are amounts students are required to pay for the purpose of maintaining facilities, as well as access to some buildings. Amounts vary depending on the institution.

Athletic Fees

These Fees on the other hand, are maintenance fees separated from the campus fees. The money is used to maintain recreational and athletic facilities. The University of Virginia, for example, charged students $657 a year on top of the $418 mandatory recreational facility fee.

Environment fees

these Fees are charged for the purpose of promoting sustainability around the campus. UCLA charged students $14.40 in 2016-2017, while the University of Texas in Austin charged students $5 per semester.

Lab fees

These are used for lab equipment repairs and maintenance. The amount paid depends on the course taken, but are typically around $150.

Tech fees

These fees are charged for the purpose of allowing students Wi-Fi access inside campus halls. The amount is small, but students can greatly benefit from it.

Other Fees:

Commencement fees

These are fees required of graduating students to be able to join commencement or graduation ceremonies. This is usually billed to the student upon reaching the first semester of senior year.

Campus Spirit fees

These are for athletic and campus spirit programs. UC-Irvine, for example, billed $99 to students for this.

Transportation Fees

Some schools that offer in-campus shuttles charge and the amount varies per school: some charge per credit hour, while some charge students a lump sum.